PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The people of the District of Columbia elect one Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. The Delegate has a seat and may speak in debates but may not vote on the House floor. The Delegate gets the same constitutional privileges as Representatives under Article I, section 6, and must follow the same laws and House rules. The Delegate is chosen for each Congress under the District of Columbia Election Act. To be elected, a person must be a qualified elector (a voter as defined by the District’s Election Act), at least 25 years old, hold no other paid public office, and have lived in the District continuously for the three years before the election. If they stop meeting these rules, they lose the office.

Title 2, §25a

The Congress, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The people of the District of Columbia shall be represented in the House of Representatives by a Delegate, to be known as the “Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia”, who shall be elected by the voters of the District of Columbia in accordance with the District of Columbia Election Act. The Delegate shall have a seat in the House of Representatives, with the right of debate, but not of voting, shall have all the privileges granted a Representative by section 6 of Article I of the Constitution, and shall be subject to the same restrictions and regulations as are imposed by law or rules on Representatives. The Delegate shall be elected to serve during each Congress.

(b)No individual may hold the office of Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia unless on the date of his election—

(1)he is a qualified elector (as that term is defined in section 2(2) of the District of Columbia Election Act) of the District of Columbia;

(2)he is at least twenty-five years of age;

(3)he holds no other paid public office; and

(4)he has resided in the District of Columbia continuously since the beginning of the three-year period ending on such date.

He shall forfeit his office upon failure to maintain the qualifications required by this subsection.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The District of Columbia Election Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b)(1), is act Aug. 12, 1955, ch. 862, 69 Stat. 699, which is not classified to the Code.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 91–405, title II, § 206(b), Sept. 22, 1970, 84 Stat. 855, provided that: “This title and the

Amendments

made by this title [enacting this section and section 25b of this title and amending section 2106 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, section 4342, 6954, and 9342 of Title 10, Armed Forces, section 201, 203, 204, 591, 594, and 595 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and section 10307 of Title 52, Voting and Elections] shall take effect on the date of its enactment [Sept. 22, 1970].”

§25a Delegate to House of Representatives From District of Columbia